Cato's last request
by Paige Elise Hale
Summary: A one-shot about how Cato's girlfriend copes with his death.


Cato's last request

**I do not own Hunger Games in any way.**

**A/N-This has been extended.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I watched as Cato fell off the Cornucopia. I was unable to watch the rest. I went to the bathroom where the pregnancy test lay on the counter.<p>

The moment I picked it up to check it, I heard the cannon.

"Another cannon. The tribute from district 2 is dead folks", Caesar Flickerman said.

An anguished cry escaped my mouth.

"Cato!" I screamed. I looked down at the pregnancy test.

Positive.

A little girl or boy that Cato would never see.

My brother Jace rushed into the bathroom and held me as I cried.

* * *

><p><em>"I volunteer!" Cato yelled. <em>

_"What?! Cato!" I yelled. _

_The peacekeepers held me back. _

_"Don't do it Cato!" I yelled. _

_The peacekeepers then led me to the room they were keeping Cato in._

_ I burst thru the door. "Are you stupid?! You could get killed!" I yelled._

_ "I won't. I'm ruthless. I'll survive", he said._

_ I hugged him. "I love you Cato", I told him. _

_"I love you too Ciera", Cato said. _

_I stepped back. I took off my tiger's eye necklace and handed it to Cato._

_ "I couldn't", he said._

_ "You can and you will. They let you wear one thing from your district", I told him._

_ "Time's up", the peacekeeper said. _

_I jumped on Cato and kissed him. "I love you", I said. _

_"Ditto", he said. _

_The peacekeeper started dragging me out. _

_"I love you Cato!" I yelled, "Come home to me!" _

_"I will! I promise!" Cato yelled back. _

* * *

><p>"He promised he would come back to me", I told Jace, "Now he won't".<p>

"Look at me", Jace said.

He took my face in his hands. "This baby is him coming back to you. It'll be a little piece of him. A piece of him that you'll have forever", Jace said.

I reached for my necklace. I realized that I had lost Cato and my Tiger's eye.

* * *

><p>*6 months later*<p>

The train pulled up to the station. The residents of District 2 stood around the station.

Katniss was the first off the train. She walked straight up to me. "Cato wanted you to have this", she said. She handed me my Tiger's eye.

During her speech, she said, "Even though they both tried to kill me, Clove and Cato were fighters till the end. Cato would've been a great father to his unborn son. Good luck Ciera".

I then realized that if I ever needed help with anything, I could count on District 12.

* * *

><p>Before Katniss left to go back to District 12, she approached me. "I have a friend in District 11. I wouldn't mind setting you up", she said.<p>

"You sure he wouldn't mind?" I asked, my hands going to my stomach.

"He didn't say anything about it", Katniss said.

* * *

><p>"Ciera, this is Cicero", Katniss said.<p>

Cicero was around 6 foot with chocolate skin, brown (almost black) eyes, and black hair. "What are you having?" Cicero asked.

"A boy", I told him.

* * *

><p>*3 months later*<p>

My son looked like Cato.

"What's his name?" the doctor asked.

"Cato Klaus Valentino", I said.

Cicero smiled and kissed my head. "Good job", he said. Cicero, Cato, and I went home a couple of days later.

* * *

><p>One day, when I was passing by Cato's nursery, I noticed he was laughing and giggling at nothing.<p>

"Silly boy", I said picking him up.

Cato continued to laugh and giggle.

I turned around and saw nothing. I brushed it off and put him in his crib. "Go to sleep now", I told him.

He curled up with his favorite stuffed animal and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>*1 year later*<p>

I stood in front of the full length mirror in my wedding dress.

Today was the day I would be marrying Cicero.

I looked down to the floor.

When I looked up again, Cato was standing behind me.

Not my son, my first love.

I turned around and there he stood, still in the clothes he wore in the arena.

He held his hand out and I put my palm to his.

I could feel him.

Cato threw his arms around me.

"Oh Cato", I said, tears leaking out of my eyes.

"No bride should cry on their wedding day", Cato said.

"It's supposed to be you", I said.

"I want you to be happy", Cato said, "I'll always be here with you".

"It was you", I whispered.

Cato smirked. "I just wanted to see him", he said.

I smiled as Cato kissed my forehead.

"Be happy. Do it for me and our son", Cato said, "Close your eyes".

I did and felt Cato's arms disappear. I opened my eyes and Cato was gone.

"Ready?" Jace asked coming in.

I smiled and said, "Yeah".

* * *

><p>*2 years later*<p>

"Cato! Don't go too far!" I called to my son.

"He can't get too far", the voice of my husband said.

I turned to him. "You never knew his father Cicero", I said, remembering Cato as a young boy.

"No, but if I did, I think we would get along", he said, "You still miss him?"

"Course I do. He was the first boy I gave myself to. He was going to propose when he won", I told him.

"I realize that you will never be completely over him. I mean, you named your son after him", Cicero said.

"Not just my son. Me and Cato's son", I said.

At that moment, little Cato ran up to us. "I found a stick", he said.

The tip was sharp like a sword.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course our son has a fondness for sharp objects", I said.

Cato was now running and jumping around fighting invisible opponents.

"I give you the winner of the 100th Hunger Games!" Cicero said, putting Cato on his shoulders.

I laughed. I loved Cicero, but there's a small part of me that will always love Cato. I reached up for the Tiger's eye around my neck. I remembered the last request Cato made.

It was for me to be happy.

I would obey his last request. I would try to be happy.

For myself, Cicero, my son, and most of all, my beloved Cato.


End file.
